Unovian Adventures: Miki and Curtis
by Frostie the Seal
Summary: A series of adventures following three trainers: Miki, Ryan, and Curtis. Will they find friendship in the native Pokémon? Or will they encounter trouble at every turn? Find out in the exciting adventures soon to come!


Curtis ran.

His legs felt numb from the pain of pushing on, but he didn't care. Tree branches whipped at his arms, but it wasn't going to slow him down. He was out of breath, but he wouldn't stop. Only one thing mattered to him. She was hurt. She needed him. And he was going to do whatever it took to help her.

But first, let's rewind the clock back to two years ago.

2 years ago, Curtis Sarutobi, a 16-year-old Pokémon actor, was on a journey to conquer all the regional Championships, and increase his ability as an actor. Like all actors, Curtis was rather attractive. He had spiky bleach blonde hair that he kept under a backwards green, white, and black Pokémon hat. A few strands of spiky hair stuck out of the opening in the front of his hat. His bright blue eyes revealed his impish nature and strong will. He wore a grey t-shirt under an unzipped green vest. The vest had a strip of black running around the middle, similar to traditional Unovian trainer attire. He had long baggy jeans, and had a tan book-bag. The strap of his bag rested on his right shoulder, and crossed over his chest so that it hung at his left hip. He had green sneakers, and walked with an attitude.

Curtis grew up in Lentimas, a small town located in the mountains of northeastern Unova. Travelling north, he arrived in Humilau City for his first gym battle, against the water-type trainer and Gym Leader, 22-year-old Ryan Shion. Ryan's short brown hair was always tucked under his father's dark blue Pokémon Breeder bandana. His sharp lavender eyes were intimidating, yet caring. His outfit had consisted of the Sinnonian Trainer uniform: a light blue vest, edged with a white band at the bottom was kept unzipped over his bare chest. His faithful partner and best friend, Bubbles, an adorable Marill, sat comfortably in the dark blue hood of his vest. The pockets of his dark blue cargo pants were always stocked with various Pokémon supplies. Around his waist, his water-type Pokémon were kept safely in his Pokéball belt. He kept his various berries in the pouch hanging from the belt. His black sandals kept his bare feet safe from the burning sand of the beach. His black backpack, carrying food and cooking utensils, was slung over his left shoulder. His beard was kept cut to short stubble, and Ryan was always ready for an adventure.

Barely escaping with a win, Curtis obtained the Bubble Badge, and rested in Humilau before traveling to Opelucid City, the next stop in his quest to obtain all Gym Badges. After deep thought, Ryan decided to accompany him on his journey, and passed on the duties as Gym Leader to his apprentice, Marion.

Ryan and Curtis traveled across the Unova Region, all the way to the Elite Four, but unfortunately, Curtis was defeated by the second Elite Four Trainer, Marshal. Discouraged, Curtis vowed to return after he defeated another Regional Championship to rechallenge the Unovian Championship. Ryan mentioned that his little sister, Miki, a 15-year-old trainer, was about to leave on her very first journey to challenge the Sinnonian Championship. Ryan was hoping to accompany her, but the decision rested with Curtis. He agreed, and they traveled to Celestic Town, Ryan's hometown to meet up with the new trainer.

Mikey, Ryan's twin brother took charge of raising Miki. When she was very young, her father passed away, followed by her mother 3 years later. Mikey was caring and cautious, and he raised his little sister lovingly.

When they arrived in Celestic Town, the first thing Curtis noticed about Miki was how beautiful she was, even though it was apparent that she didn't put much thought into her appearance. Her deep brown hair, pulled back into a long ponytail, tinted with red, and reflecting a deep gold in the evening light seemed to flow out of her hat like a waterfall. She wore a white, black, and red Pokémon league hat, a zipped up red vest, edged with white, with a black hood draping down her sculpted back. White sleeves fell from the arm holes from her vest, indicating she was wearing a white shirt underneath. She had a black armlet on her left arm that stopped right before her elbow. She was wearing light jeans, that stretched across her thighs, but at the knees, became looser and more free, falling over the heels of her red, white, and black tennis shoes. A tan supply bag was strapped to her left leg, at the thigh. Typical male trainer attire, which struck Curtis as odd, because she was obviously a girl. Ryan was wearing a similar outfit in blue. The main difference between the two was that Miki made it look good. Her vest was tight around her small waist, accentuating her curvy figure. But what hit him the hardest, and left him stammering for words were her eyes. He had never seen anything remotely close to the red of her eyes. It was the color of a perfect red apple, clear and crisp, just begging for someone to take a bite.

After resting in Celestic Town for about a week, the group of trainers set off on their adventure to challenge the Sinnoh Championship. Miki and Curtis both obtained all of their Gym Badges, and advanced to the Elite Four. Miki was defeated in the very first battle, but she didn't seem to mind. She kept on cheering for Curtis, and watched as he advanced all the way to the champion, Cynthia. She was excited to see her older sister. Cynthia could rarely come home, as her duties as Champion kept her busy. When she did visit, she was called back almost immediately to take care of an emergency or battle a challenger.

The battle was long, but Curtis defeated Cynthia, and successfully conquered the Sinnoh League. True to his word, Curtis returned to Unova to rechallenge the Unova League 2 years after he first left, but this time, with both Ryan and Miki at his side.

Our group of trainers have just arrived in Nimbasa City, home of the Battle Subway, the site of Miki's third battle tournament. She could hardly stand the wait. She dragged her older brother, Ryan, and her best friend, Curtis, to the Pokémon Center to register for the tournament that was to take place the next day.

A young man with long black hair followed the trio silently, and every once in a while, Miki would look back at him and smile, making him blush. His black hair, dyed at the tips with red was pulled back in a small ponytail at the back of his head. He wore a torn up black jean jacket over a white T-shirt, with the words Master of Illusions, the name of a popular movie, written in red. His jeans were torn, and he had Ryan's backpack slung over his shoulder. He had on black sandals, and his eyes were an intimidating yet bright turquoise. He appeared to be in his early 20's. His name was Regret. He kept his hands in his pockets, and his mouth shut.

While there, they ran into an old friend and rival, Kyle Burnn. Kyle and Miki grew up together in the small town of Celestic, located in the heart of the Sinnoh region.

After chatting a while, Ryan decided that Miki and Curtis should get signed up for the tournament the next day.

"Hello. Are you here to register for the Battle Subway tournament being held tomorrow?"

"Yes we are, Nurse Joy."

"I see. What is your name?"

"My name is Miki, ma'am, and this is Curtis."

"Okay, and how old are you?

"I'm 17, and Curtis is 18."

"May I please see your trainer ID?"

Miki handed Nurse Joy their IDs and she swiped through the machine.

"That's all! Thank you for registering! I hope to see you there tomorrow!"

"Thank you! You too!"

After registering, The trio met up with Kyle, and walked outside to the Beartic Ice Cream Shop, where they then sat on the porch of the Pokémon Center eating their ice cream.

"Ryan, they don't have Pokemon Inns here right?"

"Yeah. Unova has Inns in the Pokémon Centers. I'm about to go check us into our suite. Why don't you three look around and meet some of your competitors?"

"Hey that's a great idea! Bye Big Bro!"

As Ryan walked away, a blue-haired trainer approached Miki. Unbeknownst to them, he would change the course of their lives forever.

His name was Nick. Known for his killer combination moves in double battles, he was also famous for his charm. In fact, he paid more attention to women than his own Pokémon. He was a notorious lady killer amongst the double battle community. However, Miki was ignorant of this when he approached her and turned on the charm. Kyle wasn't too pleased with this new guy. Just who does he think he is? He glanced over at Curtis, almost screaming like a little girl at his terrifying expression. Curtis looked like he wanted to punch that guy until he bled, but if Miki wanted go out with him, it was her choice.

Kyle heard someone sit down next to him, and looked over to see a young teenage boy, wearing a black Unova trainer uniform with an ice cream cone sit next to Miki like he was close with her. He had black hair pulled back into a small ponytail, and the tips of his hair were dyed black. Kyle eyed the newcomer nervously. It seemed that Miki was a popular girl. The boy felt Kyle staring at him, and he turned to him and looked at him intently with his bright turquoise eyes. Kyle gulped and ate his ice cream silently. Curtis glanced over at the teen, and gave him a half smile. He nodded knowingly at what Curtis was trying to say to him. Nick on the other hand, was too involved with charming Miki to notice him.

Nick asked her out for dinner after about thirty minutes of chatting. She was a cautious person, so at first, she politely refused. But Nick was persistent. Finally, he convinced her that it was just dinner between two Double Trainers, and that no harm could possibly come of it. So that night, at 7:30, Miki was escorted to the restaurant by a strange man that Nick had never seen before. As the pair came into view, Nick could see his face. He had black hair pulled back in a small ponytail. The tips of his hair were dyed red, and he wore a grey cab driver's uniform. He looked like he was in his 40's.

Nick took Miki's arm and waited for the mysterious man to return to the center, but he didn't move an inch.

"Excuse me.. I can take it from here. Please return to the center, and let her brother know she has arrived safely."

The butler raised the brim of his hat and looked at Nick with intimidating turquoise eyes.

Nick gulped nervously.

"Um, sir, not to worry. I will keep a close eye on her, and make sure she stays safe."

The man gave him a doubtful look, but after a few seconds, he walked away, turning into a dark alley.

The food she was served looked exquisite, and tasted even better than it looked. She sat and ate silently. Trying to start a conversation, Nick piped up.

"So.. I assume you come from a wealthy family."

"What makes you say that?" she asked curiously.

"Well, that man who brought you here. He acted like a servant.. I just thought that he served you."

"Oh. Not really. He does what he can to please me, and he works hard. He is a wonderful person."

"I see."

After about two hours of talking and laughing, Nick paid for their dinner, and walked with her to the Center.

"Well, my hotel room is very nice, and they serve wonderful cake. Would you like to try some? I wouldn't mind having you over for a while."

"I'll have to decline. My brother will worry, and so will Reggie."

"Is that the man who brought you to the restaurant?"

"Yeah. Interesting name, don't you think?"

"Yeah.."

He pointed to a tall building as they passed it.

"That's my hotel. Pretty fancy, huh?"

"Yeah. I wonder what it looks like in there."

"Would you like to see it?"

"Um, no thank you."

"Alright.. if you're sure."

When they arrived at the Pokémon Center, Reggie was waiting outside for her. Miki waved to him, and ran over to his side. Reggie gently set his gloved hand on her shoulder, and waved to Nick, tipping his hat as he turned around, and disappeared with Miki, inside the building.

The day of the tournament started out normally enough. Miki had already changed into her battle uniform, and she was raring to go. But when she stepped into the waiting room, all that changed. Nick was in the corner, talking with some of the male trainers, who were listening excitedly to his story. The other girls just gave her a nasty look as they saw her approach. Miki glanced up at Regret nervously.

"Why are they looking at me like that?"

"... I'm not sure, but I don't like the tension in here.."

Just then, Kyle walked up. He looked depressed and angry.

"Is what Nick is saying true?"

"What are you talking about?"

"He said last night.."

"Oh. Yeah."

"So.. it is true.." Kyle looked like he was about to cry.

"Kyle what's wrong? It was just dinner. Besides, Regret was a few tables away, making sure I stayed safe."

Regret turned red and looked down at her in surprise.

"... You.. knew I was there?"

"It's not hard to miss you. You stand out from everyone."

Regret opened his mouth to speak, but he quickly closed it, and turned to Kyle.

"...Go ahead. You have something more important to say anyway."

Kyle looked at him curiously, but shrugged, and turned to Miki.

"What happened after dinner?"

"He took me home."

"Wait.. so.. you didn't.." Kyle turned red.

"What is it?"

Kyle leaned in and whispered in her ear.

"So you didn't have.. sex?" He choked on his words as he eyed her nervously.

Miki's eyes grew wide, and she turned to Kyle in surprise.

"No way! What on earth gave you that idea?"

"Well, that's what he had been telling everyone.."

Miki's spirits fell. It all made sense. The girls hated her for being a slut, and the guys were most likely congratulating Nick on a job well done. She felt betrayed and angry.

She stomped over to Nick and slapped him as hard as she could, but the damage had already been done. Now everyone thought badly about her. The guys thought she was easy prey, and the girls thought she was a whore. Tears flooded her eyes, but she wouldn't cry. Not in front of everyone.

The second Miki stepped onto the field, Curtis knew something was wrong. He had known her long enough to know when she was hiding something. She smiled and waved at her cheering fans, but her smile didn't have its normal glow. The warmth and confidence in her smile was gone. Not to mention that Regret was glaring at Nick. He never really stared at people so intently, especially with that look of pure hatred in his eyes.

Ryan watched Miki battle nervously. He must have noticed his sister's behavior as well. Unfortunatly, Miki was knocked out in the first round. She acted dazed and unfocused. Her Seviper; Terror, and her Zangoose; Scorn, fought hard. Their teamwork was flawless. Miki was famous for her dark type Pokémon. Her best team, Terror and Scorn, were as close as two Pokémon could get, despite the fact that Zangoose and Sevipers have a history of not getting along. But these two were special. Not only did they get along, but their types were different from normal. Terror, unlike most Seviper, was a Dark and Poison type. Scorn wasn't a normal type, like most Zangoose. He was a full bred Dark type. But, even with an incredible team, she still lost, which was unusual, even for her.

After the tournament, Curtis ran to the waiting room, but Miki was no where in sight. Regret was gone as well. Curtis ran outside to the Subway Station Lobby, just in time to see Miki, now dressed in her trainer's uniform, dash outside. He chased after her, but she had already disappeared in Lostlorn forest. Kyle walked up behind him.

"Kyle, you tell me what's going on and you tell me RIGHT NOW."

He grabbed the front of Kyle's shirt and glared at him.

Kyle had never seen Curtis this way before. His expression was dark and terrifying. Leer looked like a smile compared to Curtis' expression. Kyle stammered for words, but finally managed to tell Curtis what had happened. Curtis' face fell as he heard. He set Kyle down, and his expression darkened.

"This Nick. Where is he now?"

"W-well last time I saw him.. H-He was sitting with his fellow trainers in the Station Lobby.."

Curtis glanced over Kyle's shoulder at the Station, brightly lit in the dark. The air surrounding the two felt heavy, and powerful. Kyle was too scared to move. Curtis pushed past him, and walked to the Station. Kyle followed him, but kept his distance, just in case.

Curtis was beyond pissed.

Curtis found Nick sitting at a café located in the station, joking and laughing with other male trainers. Curtis walked up and asked if he was Nick. Nick nodded. He reached his hand out to Curtis to introduce himself. Big mistake. Curtis just stared out his outstretched hand. Before anyone knew it, the blonde haired trainer grabbed his arm and flipped him over the table. He grabbed the front of Nick's shirt and he stood him up, only to smash his fist into his face a few seconds later. Nick hardly had any time to react. Curtis was fueled by incomprehensible fury, giving him almost inhuman strength. This bastard gave Miki a bad name, and now, he was going to pay.

After about 2 minutes, Curtis left him on the floor, his hand covered in Nick's blood. Nick raised himself up slowly, his face contorted in pain and covered in blood from his nose and mouth.

"Hey kid! What's your problem?"

Curtis turned around to face Nick, the fire still in his eyes.

"My problem?!" He grabbed the front of his shirt again. "My problem is that you can't seem to keep your hands to yourself, and your goddamn mouth shut. You know perfectly well that everything that came out of your mouth about Miki was a lie."

"You wanna bet? She asked me for it. She practically got down on her hands and knees and begged me for it. I did that slut last night, and even if I was lying, how could a shrimp like you even prove it?"

"How can I prove it?" Curtis got close to Nick's face. "My proof is that she came home last night. She came home, drank her root beer, and went to bed. I was there. I know where she was, and I know you're lying. She didn't leave all night. She slept like a rock while you supposedly smashed her. Ryan wasn't asleep either. He was in the kitchen reading the paper when she came home. He can tell you where his little sister was. Boy, if you think I gave you hell, once he gets word of what you claim you did to his little sister.."

Ryan ran to the gathering crowd. He pushed his way through the front to watch Curtis. Regret was sitting on a signpost and he watched the fight from afar.

Curtis looked Nick straight in the eyes.

"If you EVER talk about my girl that way again, I might just have to kill you."

Curtis dropped Nick, stuttering and searching for something snarky to say, in a heap on the ground. He turned around, and saw the gathered crowd standing behind him.

"AND ANYONE ELSE WHO CALLS MIKI A SLUT GETS WHAT HE GOT!"

Silence was all the answer he needed. Silence meant they understood. Silence meant they knew not to mess with him.

Ryan was shocked. He had never seen this side of Curtis before. Miki was his little sister, and if Curtis hadn't beaten him up, he would've just as easily.

"I'm gonna look for Miki. Don't wait up for us." Curtis said to Ryan as he ran past him and out of the station.

Here is where you came in, dear reader. Curtis was running through the woods, desperately searching for a sign, a sound, anything to help him find her.

He ran down the beaten path, when something hit him in the head. He looked behind him, and found a Zoroark sitting in a tree. He was spinning an acorn on the tip of his finger like a basketball.

Curtis looked at the Zoroark. Dark haze surrounded him, and it reflected the moonlight, making the haze glow.

Something about this Pokémon seemed off. What was a dark type doing out in the open like this? Curtis sighed. Maybe Miki would feel better if they all had a new friend. He pulled a dusk ball out of his pocket, and activating it, he threw it.

The Zoroark reached out and caught it without too much trouble. He threw it back, hitting Curtis square between the eyes. He groaned, holding his nose bridge.

The Zoroark looked down at him.

"Stupid Pokémon..."

"Zorrrr..."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Listen, I'm looking for a girl. She just ran past here. She... means a lot to me, and I know you're probably mad at me, but if you could help, it would mean a lot."

"Yeah, but I'm not telling you."

"That's helpful. Wait..."

Curtis stared at the Pokémon. He must be going crazy. Pokémon can't talk.

"I can. Now do you want to find Miki or not?"

"H-how do you know her name?"

The Zoroark pointed to an Ultra ball laying on the ground. Curtis picked it up gently. It was well taken care of, and a name was neatly printed on the back.

"Miki Shion.. I wonder which of her Pokémon it is.."

He pressed the button, but found it empty. He sighed.

Suddenly, a red light shot out, and something was pulled into the Pokeball. It clicked shut. He raised an eyebrow. He turned the ball over and noticed an engraving.

"R...Regret.. Wait.. That guy's name was Regret.."

An image flashed in his mind, and instantly, he understood.

"Go, Regret!"

The same Zoroark from before shot out of the Pokeball. He snickered at Curtis, who was gaping at him. He handed Regret his Pokeball and cleared his throat.

"Did Miki come this way?"

Regret nodded. He pointed a long-clawed paw to a nearby path that led into the darkness.

"The only thing out there is The Lostlorn Falls. When people or Pokémon feel lost, that's usually where they end up. Only the Lostlorn inhabitants know about it. That path is the only way to get to it."

Curtis nodded and ran off towards the path. He turned around and thanked Regret before disappearing into the night.

Regret smiled to himself, and the Zoroark slunk into the darkness.

He pushed through the vines and trees, until he found himself in a small clearing. This was it. This was the lake. The water shone like thousands of diamonds, and was so clear, he could see right to the bottom of it. A light shone from the bottom of the pool and illuminated the water, giving everything around it a soft glow. A waterfall fell from a high mountain across the lake, and path of rocks floated in the water, leading to the base of the mountain. The minerals in the rocks sparkled, and he couldn't help but notice how magical this place seemed. It almost looked like it was straight out of the pages of a storybook. He looked around and listened, but he couldn't hear anything over the waterfall. Wait.. the waterfall! He slowly walked over to the lakeside, and carefully jumped from rock to rock until he arrived at the base of the mountain. The water gave off a cool refreshing scent. It was calming, but saddening at the same time.

He climbed a small stair-like path of rocks that seemed to lead behind the waterfall. He pushed some of the water out of the way as he slipped behind the waterfall and into a small cave behind the water. He could hear something at the other end of the cave, so he decided to follow the sound. He walked on, and found himself at the base of some stairs that had been crudely carved from the rock. A light shone dimly from the top of the steps. He climbed them, and entered a small opening that was hidden behind the waterfall, impossible to see from the lake.

Miki was sitting at the edge of the cave, leaning up against the side of the rock, letting her bare feet fall into the gentle spray of water that the waterfall gave off. She was soaking wet. She had taken her hair down, and it draped on the ground behind her. Curtis realized she wasn't wearing her vest. She must have left before grabbing it. This was the first time he had ever seen her without it. She was wearing only her undershirt: a white t-shirt that cut off right above her stomach. It was torn, probably from running through all those thorns.

"Miki?" he called out softly, causing her to look up at him with tears running down her face. Seeing her like that broke his heart.

"Curtis?"

"Yeah."

He dropped on his knees and enveloped her in a hug. He held her tightly, never wanting to let go. Miki just grabbed his shirt in her fists and cried into his chest.

"Shhhhh.. Miki.. I'm here..."

At his words, Miki began crying even harder. Curtis hugged her tightly, enough to crush her delicate body, but she made no outward signs of being in pain. He crossed his legs and pulled her into his lap.

"I'm so sorry Curtis.. I just wanted to get away from everything, but I didn't know where I was going, so I got lost.. I.. I wasn't thinking about anyone but myself.."

"Hey.. it's ok.. I'll always be able to find you, and you were upset. I would have run, too."

"No.. You're a strong person.. you would have fought. I'm just a weakling.. I can't stand up for myself.. All I can do is run."

"Miki, if there is anything I know, it's that you are the strongest person I've ever met. You never think about yourself. You worry about others, even if it means ending your own life. You would rather die than stay safe, if it meant saving someone. Only strong people can do something like that. I thought.. back then.. I was over.. Everything I had ever lived for was a waste.. But you came for me. You put yourself in danger just to let me escape. You told me to run, to forget about you. You were willing to die for me."

Curtis pulled himself away from her, and placed his hands on her cheeks, and lifted her head so he could look into her eyes. Tears fell slowly from her gentle red eyes, and he wiped them away with his thumbs. Miki placed her hands gently over his.

"I was stupid not to realize how much I cared for you." He placed his forehead on hers and sighed. "I love you more than anything, Miki, and no matter where you go, or what kind of trouble you get in, I'll always be there for you.."

Tears began rolling down her cheeks again, and she gripped his hands tightly. She tried to drop her head so Curtis couldn't see her crying, but he wouldn't let her. She squeezed her eyes shut, and tried to stop crying.

Curtis gently lifted her chin, and he brought his face closer to hers. Miki opened her eyes and looked up at him. He closed his eyes, and slowly pressed his lips up against hers, and kissed her gently. She followed suite, and kissed him back. He slipped his tongue in her mouth and kissed her passionately and they kissed each other for a long time, until Curtis finally pulled away from her. He placed his forehead on hers. He looked into her soft eyes.

"I love you, Miki.. Don't ever leave me.."

"I love you too, Curtis.."

She kissed him again, and buried her head in his shirt. Curtis hugged her tightly, and rested his chin on her shoulder.

He stroked her hair gingerly and held her close until she stopped crying.

"I'm ok now.. Sorry for causing such a fuss."

"Nah.. you didn't do anything wrong. You dont have to apologize..."

She sat in his lap as the two looked out over the lake below. Curtis was resting his chin on her shoulder.

"Aren't you cold? Your clothes are all wet.."

"No, I'm alright. I have a habit of falling into lakes, so it isn't unusual for me to be all wet."

Curtis laughed.

"I wouldn't call it a habit. It's more like you just happen to be next to a lake, and someone pushes you in, or you get scared, and jump into the water."

Miki smiled, and she rested her head on his. Curtis kissed her neck gently, before leaning back and shedding his vest. Miki looked back at him curiously. He took his shirt, and pulled it over his head, causing her to blush and quickly turn around.

Curtis looked at her.

"What?"

"Well.. you just.."

"Have no shirt on? There is a reason for that. Now put you arms up."

Miki slowly raised her arms in the air, unsure of what to expect. Curtis grabbed the bottom of her shirt, and pulled it off her. Miki looked down and blushed. She tried to lower her arms but Curtis grabbed them and held them up. He leaned into her and kissed the back of her neck. With one hand he held her arms. With the other, he grabbed his shirt and threw it over her head, pulling it down over her torso. He put his hands through the arm holes, and took her hands, pulling them through the arm holes. He kissed her cheek, and put his vest back on, not bothering to zip it up. He wrapped his arms around her waist, and hugged her from behind.

"There. Better?"

She opened her eyes and looked down at his shirt.

"But... won't you be cold?"

"No. I've still got my vest. I'll be fine."

She smiled softly, and put her arms over his.

"Thanks.."

"No prob. We should probably get back though.."

"Yeah.. Ryan will be worried about us."

Curtis pulled out his cell phone and checked the time: 1:32 am. He didn't realize how long they'd been out. He stood up and took her hand. He pulled her to her feet and stared at her hair. It wasn't resting on the ground behind her, but fell to its full length. Her hair almost came down to her knees.

"I've always loved your hair.."

"Thanks.. Mikey never cut it.. so I've never had a haircut before. ..At least, not after Mom died.."

Curtis kissed her lightly before interlacing his fingers with hers. The pair traveled down the steps to the lake, and into the cool night air.

Fireflies danced across the surface of the water, and a few Politoad slept on the lily pads.

"We can make this place our secret. No one has to know about this," Curtis told her, as he squeezed her hand.

"Okay."

They walked back to the Pokémon Center, where everyone was awake and waiting for them to return. Nick was there, too. When he saw them coming, he stood. Miki saw him and hid behind Curtis. She looked up at him, and he nodded encouragingly.

"Miki.. I-Im sorry I lied like that.. It was a stupid mistake.. will you forgive me?"

Miki nodded slightly, and Nick breathed a sigh of relief.

"Thats good to hear..," He looked at Miki and a strange look crossed his face. "Hey.. Isn't that Curtis' shirt?"

Miki looked down and realized she was still wearing his shirt. Her face grew very red, and Curtis laughed.

"It's okay. After all, your shirt still hasn't dried out," he said as he held it up.

Ryan walked over to Miki and wrapped her in a big hug.

"I was so worried.. please don't run off like that.."

Miki hugged him back. "I'm sorry, Ryan. It won't happen again, I promise."

Soft laughter came from the forest, and Regret, now disguised in his human form, stepped out of the shadows.

Miki ran to him, and gave him a big hug. Regret patted her head lovingly.

"We were all worried, you know. When you run off, without even telling me, how are we supposed to find you?"

Miki looked up at him sadly.

"I'm sorry, Reggie.."

Nick looked up in surprise.

"Wait.. That's not Reggie! Reggie is an old guy, a butler dude!"

Regret looked at him with turquoise eyes. He let go of Miki and walked over to Nick slowly, as he began to glow, and a dark haze surrounded him. In the light of the Pokémon Center, you could see his silhouette changing through the mist. Nick gulped nervously as the haze stopped right in front of him. All was silent. No one moved. Ryan and Miki had a big smile on their face. They had seen this trick before, and no matter how many times he did it, it never got old. In the fog, Regret spoke in a deep scary voice.

"It is said, that long, long ago, deep in Lostlorn forest, in a clearing, a rusty old trailer was left there to rot. And do you know what was in that forest?"

Everyone shook their heads. Nick gulped nervously. Nurse Joy hugged Chansey and whimpered.

Regret laughed evilly and went on.

"Well.. in that clearing, lived a ravenous beast, a Master of Illusions, who was said to torture and kill anyone who laid eyes on it.. Do you know what that beast was?"

Everyone was shaking and whimpering, but they all shook their heads.

"It was... A ZOROARK!"

As he yelled, Regret leaped out of the fog, with his claws out and his teeth exposed. Everyone screamed in horror as tomato juice, cleverly hidden in his mouth when he was obscured by the fog, dripped down the chin. Nurse Joy almost passed out from terror. Ryan, Curtis, and Miki laughed. Regret wiped the tomato juice from his mouth and smiled a toothy grin. The Zoroark laughed.

"You should see the looks on your faces! Priceless!"

"Oh I get it!" Nurse Joy piped up from the corner.

"Zoroark, the Master of Illusions, can create an illusion to make him seem like anything he wants to be. By changing his illusion, he can be different people! That's how he can be a young adult, and an old butler at the same time!"

Regret gave her a little nod.

She sighed and clapped her hands.

"Well, at least Curtis found Miki, and everyone is back safely! Audino has been waiting for you to return. She has cinnamon buns waiting for everyone in the kitchen!"

The group cheered and headed inside. All but Miki and Curtis. Ryan realized they weren't behind him, and with Regret, he watched them from the window, but Miki and Curtis didn't notice them standing there.

"Thank you.. For coming for me, Curtis.."

She stood on her toes and kissed him lightly on the cheek, but before she pulled away, Curtis wrapped her in a hug and kissed her hard on the lips. They smiled at each other and, Curtis took Miki's hand, and they headed towards the Center together.

Ryan smiled to himself, and followed Regret to the kitchen, with Bubbles bouncing close behind.


End file.
